Tag: Grove 34

Happy 12-Year Anniversary

We are excited and grateful to celebrate 12 years of switched-up storytelling. Click here to read how it all began on May 8, 2012, in the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology foreword and take a look at NYTI “Over the Years” highlights below.

CELEBRATE with us this Saturday, May 11, at ART HEART: STORYTELLING AND PORTRAIT TRADING pay-what-you-wish community event at Sunnyside Arts from 2 to 4.

Meet and share stories with the No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” storytellers. Then GRAB YOUR TICKETS HERE for our June team-up show with the Greater Astoria Historical Society at Grove 34 in Astoria.

Keep it going! Click here to donate in support of a new decade of No, YOU Tell It!

Next Show! NYTI “Left My Heart”

Jun 05 2024 @ 7:00PM

Grab your ticket for our next show! Four curated storytellers will trade tales inspired by the music and history of Astoria native Tony Bennett from the Greater Astoria Historical Society archives. Plus, story trivia for fun literary prizes.

Want to meet the storytellers and share your story before the show? Join us on May 11 for ART HEART: STORYTELING AND PORTRAIT TRADING at Sunnyside Arts. All are welcome at this pay-what-you-wish community event. Register here.

Storytellers:

Carl Banks

January Yoon Cho

Catherine Kapphahn

Zach Rothman-Hicks

 

NYTI Creative Team:

KJ Fitzsimmons

Pichchenda Bao

Erika Iverson

Tim Lindner

***

The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

Event Information

Jun 05 2024 @ 7:00PM

Grove 34 (31-83 34th St, Astoria)

“Fly By” Part 2: Ben Katzner and Briana McDonald (Episode 74)

Kicking off part 2 of our “Fly By” show, host Ellie Dvorkin Dunn shares some fun facts about teenage pilot Elinor Smith before we hear the second set of true tales inspired by the story of “The Flying Flapper” from the archives of the Greater Astoria Historical Society.

No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was on September 28, 2023, at Grove 34 in Astoria. Podcast introduction by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and features:

  • Like Me or Not by Ben Katzner, performed by Briana McDonald, directed by Erika Iverson
  • Macarons by Briana McDonald, performed by Ben Katzner, directed by Erika Iverson

Story partners Ben Katzner and Briana McDonald at Grove 34 in Astoria.

Want a copy of Ben or Briana’s middle-grade books? Grab your copy and share it with the young readers in your life.

Donate here to support No, YOU Tell It!, and we’ll send you an electronic copy of Annie Shi’s zine, “The Flying Flapper,” that we gave out to the audience at the show so you can learn more about Elinor Smith and her historic 1928 flight under not one but four East River bridges – Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

 

SPECIAL THANKS

No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was an OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall

This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

 

Queens Community Arts Grant

We are extremely grateful to Flushing Town Hall for awarding No, YOU Tell It! a Queens Community Arts Grant as part of the Statewide Community Regrants program funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

Click here for the full list of grantees. This funding will support two special 2024 Queens shows produced in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society.

First up! Save the date for No, YOU Tell It! “Left My Heart” on June 5th at Grove 34 in Astoria.

Featuring

Storytellers:
Carl Banks
January Yoon Cho
Catherine Kapphahn
Zach Rothman-Hicks

NYTI Creative Team:
KJ Fitzsimmons
Pichchenda Bao
Erika Iverson
Tim Lindner

Thank you, FTH and NYSCA!!

“Fly By” Part 1: Lowell Stephens and Robin Gelfenbien (Episode 73)

Have you ever heard of Elinor Smith? Our fall “Fly By” show was a fantastic way to learn about this teenage pilot who beat out Amelia Earhart for “Best Woman Pilot in America” in 1930.

For this special show hosted by Ellie Dvorkin Dunn and produced in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society, we provided our storytellers with a visual prompt depicting Elinor Smith’s legendary 1928 flight under four East River bridges—Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

The animated image created by Queens artist Annie Shi inspired a modern-day story swap of a very different kind of airplane dare and a gutt-wrenching attempt to bridge the divide between father and son. WATCH the full show here on our YouTube page.

Lowell Stephens performs Robin Gelfenbien’s story

Donate here to support No, YOU Tell It!, and we’ll send you an electronic copy of Annie’s zine, “The Flying Flapper,” that we gave out to the audience at the show so you can learn more about Elinor Smith and her historic flight.

No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was on September 28, 2023, at Grove 34 in Astoria. Podcast introduction by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and features:

  • Connecting Flights by Robin Gelfenbien, performed by Lowell Stephens, directed by Erika Iverson
  • Liquid Mercury by Lowell Stephens, performed by Robin Gelfenbien, directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons

 

SPECIAL THANKS

No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was an OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall

This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

Queens Community Events and New Show

Save the dates for these upcoming Queens community events open to all and our NEW SHOW at Grove 34!

Register here for the Queens & Me: Personal Writing Workshop at The Astoria Bookshop. Writers of all levels welcome!

Follow us on FB and Insta for more details on our Art Heart event and upcoming “Left My Heart” show.

Show, Workshops, & Alum Updates!

Our next show is June 5th at Grove 34 in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society. SAVE THE DATE!

But first… Come tell your story at writing workshops led by NYTI producers Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and Tim Lindner. Kelly Jean leads a monthly Sip & Scribe at Sunnyside Arts.  Register HERE for Friday, March 1.

Plus, don’t miss her “Queens & Me: Personal Writing Workshop” at The Astoria Bookshop on 4/17.

Tim leads a monthly Write with Flights at Departed Soles Brewery in Jersey City. Click HERE to register for this month’s, which is coming up fast on Thursday, February 22.

What have our NYTI Alums been up to? So happy you asked! Here are some fun updates.

Monique Peterson performs at Jimmy’s No. 43 in 2013. Photo by Gili Getz.

SPECIAL WEST COAST SHOUT OUT to MONIQUE PETERSON from our “Alter Egos” show, who will be the only spoken word story performer in the upcoming Center for the Arts open mic showcase in Nevada County, California, this Wednesday, February 21.

 

GABRIEL BEREZIN produces and hosts the podcast FUGUES.

Gabriel Berezin swaps stories with Courtney Frances Fallon in Ep 38: Blowback Part 2. Give a listen here!

 New episodes coming out next month! What is Fugues? The quick answer – it’s The Moth with neuroscience and music (and a bit of sci-fi…) 

More details at:

 

ROSALIE CHANDLER is stepping up to perform her “Here & Gone” story from our first team-up show with the Greater Astoria Historical Society next month for RISK!

Rosalie surprises her fellow storytellers with Westinghouse Time Capsule buttons at our “Here & Gone” show at Grove 34.

Helmed by “College Try” storyteller Kevin Allison, RISK! is a live show and weekly podcast where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public. Come join us to see how Rosalie’s story has grown now that she’s doing the telling.

RISK! Live in NYC & Online 

Thursday, 3/21/24

Caveat, 21 A Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002

9:30 PM  / Doors 9:00 PM

Tickets: http://risk-show.com/live

 

CHRIS CROWTHERS (center square) opened up a shop with his husband last year in Narrowsburg, NY!

Project Weekend: Weekend Goods for Good Weekends. Check it out HERE.

Give a LISTEN or WATCH Chris’s story “Watermelon Sugar” in our Anniversary Apart online show from January 2022!

They sell Men’s Clothing + Accessories and Outdoorsy + Weekend Inspired Goods. Follow them on IG: @projectweekendny

 

Founding member MIKE DRESSEL recently profiled the Choreographer Bruno Isakovic for the Gay & Lesbian Review. Note: The piece hasn’t gone up yet, but it will run HERE soon. Maybe even by the time you check!

Mike Dressel hosts our 2019 “Snapped!” show. Give a listen and read Mike’s intro about our special Stonewall50 story swap at Dixon Place in the NYTI Ten-Year Anthology.

He also has a Bookshop.org affiliate site where he’s curated some reading material. Check it out and shop through the link: https://bookshop.org/shop/Dressel

 

MATT STORRS was recently on The Moth (2/13), and you can listen to the episode (available 2/19) here!

Photo: Top left: Matt Storrs; Top right: Maria Rubio; Bottom left: Ellie Dvorkin Dunn interviews Matt Storrs

Give a listen to Matt’s “Punch Up” swap or WATCH the full show live-streamed from Culture Lab.

Matt also filmed Stories from the Stage in Boston on 2/14, and last but not least, keep an eye out for him at the NYC Fringe in April! We’ll share more info as it becomes available.

 

Congratulations to AIDA ZILELIAN for her newly released novel All the Ways We Lied, which explores the commonality of sisterhood through the eyes of four unforgettable women who have nothing in common except that they are bound by Armenian blood and history.

Upcoming Book Events!

New York/Queens

Boston/Somerville

Rhode Island

  • April 19 – Riffraff Bookstore 
  • April 20 – Watertown Library
  • April 21 – St. Sahag Church

Back in NYC/Queens!

  • April 27 – Lincoln Center: Key speaker for Genocide Awareness
  • May 9 – LIC Book Culture

Top left: Jenn Wehrung; Top right: Story partners Aida Zilelian and Jenn Wehrung; Bottom left: Ellie Dvorkin Dunn and Jenn Wehrun; Bottom right: Aida Zilelian

Give a LISTEN to Aida’s “Punch Up” swap or WATCH the full show live-streamed from Culture Lab. You can also watch other past shows on the NYTI YouTube channel.

Still Reading? THANK YOU for your support. Keep it going!
Spread the word about all these alum updates.
Tell a friend to follow No, YOU Tell It!
CLICK HERE to make a donation through The Field.

That’s all for now. Follow Insta and Facebook for more. NYTI Alums, feel free to send us your news for our next update!

Watch “Fly By”

Did you miss our “Fly By” show last month? Watch these fantastic story swaps recorded live on stage at Grove 34 in Astoria and SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.

Our Brooklyn Book Festival Bookend Event featured:

Plus, the wonderful Ellie Dvorkin Dunn returned to host, and Bob Singleton from The Greater Astoria Historical Society regaled us with tales of The Flying Flapper Elinor Smith, who beat out Amelia Earhart for the title of “Best Woman Pilot in America” in 1930.

The storytellers’ true tales were inspired by this GIF image created by Queens artist Annie Shi, which depicts Elinor Smith’s legendary 1928 flight under not one but four East River bridges – Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

Annie Shi also illustrated Bob Singleton’s narrative of Elinor Smith’s story in the beautiful zine (pictured below) that we gave out to audience members. Want a copy of the Elinor Smith Zine?

Click here to make a $25 donation (or more) in support of No, YOU Tell It! 2024, and we’ll send you an electronic copy!

***

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by
Flushing Town Hall

This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

Fantastic “Fly By” Show!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our “Fly By” show last week! View more show photos on our Facebook page.

Left to right: Ben Katzner, Briana McDonald, Lowell Stephens, Annie Shi, and Robin Gelfenbien

Thank you!

  • Storytellers Ben Katzner, Briana McDonald, Lowell Stephens, and Robin Gelfenbien for sharing their experiences and performing each other’s stories so beautifully.
  • Annie Shi for creating the gorgeous art for the zine and our visual GIF-prompt.
  • Ellie Dvorkin Dunn for doing such an incredible job hosting yet again.
  • Bob Singleton and the Greater Astoria Historical Society for providing the story of Elinor Smith to inspire these stories.
  • Grove 34 for providing us with the beautiful space.
  • The NYTI creative team for all the work you do behind the scenes.
  • Brooklyn Book Festival for inviting us back to be a Bookend Event!
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York Foundation for the Arts, and Flushing Town Hall for your support to make this event possible. Check out more Flushing Town Hall Arts Grants for Queens grantee events here.

We have a big year planned in 2024 and can’t wait to share more of what’s to come. Until next time!

Who is The Flying Flapper?

Sep 28 2023 @ 7:00PM

We provided this image alone to our four “Fly By” storytellers to inspire their true tales for our upcoming Queen-based Brooklyn Book Festival Bookend Event.

What personal stories did this graphic created by Queens artist Annie Shi inspire? We’ll find out when they read each other’s drafts aloud at our first story meeting this week! Get your tickets here. 

Inspired by Elinor Smith's flight under four East River bridges, artist Annie Shi created this graphic of Smith's historic 1928 flight.

Artwork by Annie Shi

Come to the show to learn about The Flying Flapper Elinor Smith, who beat out Amelia Earhart for the title of “Best Woman Pilot in America” in 1930.

Shi’s graphic art depicts Smith’s legendary 1928 flight under not one but four East River bridges – Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

Join us at Grove 34 on 9/28 to see more of Elinor Smith’s story illustrated by Annie Shi and hear the modern-day true tales inspired by this piece of history from the Greater Astoria Historical Society.

***

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

Event Information

Sep 28 2023 @ 7:00PM

Grove 34 (31-83 34th St, Astoria)

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